Netherlands set sights on 2019 World Cup qualification

Netherlands captain Peter Borren and former South Africa player Roelof van der Merwe celebrate during a match. Photo: icc-cricket.com

JOHANNESBURG – The Netherlands want to show the world they are worth being the 13th side on the ODI League (which kicks-off in 2020) by shining on the big stage and qualifying for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 in England and Wales.

The Netherlands qualified for the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier by winning the ICC World Cricket League Championship 2015 to 2017 and claiming the 13th position in the ODI League, which now guarantees the Dutch ODI status following the Zimbabwe event which will run from March 4 to 25.

The Dutch have been a regular participant in this tournament, topping the leaderboard of most matches played in the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier from 1982 to 2014 (known as the ICC Trophy until 2005) at 75 matches winning 54, losing 20 and one no-result.

Captain Peter Borren, who led his team to victory in the ICC World Cricket League Championship, thereby security the 13th spot in the ODI League, believes it is a positive time to be involved in Associate cricket.

“Going to Zimbabwe is something to look forward to, there is obviously a lot of exciting cricket coming up, it is a good time to be involved with Dutch cricket and Associate cricket, there are opportunities and hopefully we can grab them,” he said.

Borren who has played 13 matches, scoring 389 runs in 11 innings with a high score of 65 not out in the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier, cannot wait to for his team to perform on the biggest stage.

“We are now the 13th-ranked ODI nation on the ODI League, earned through three years of hard work, and this will be our chance to show to the world that we want to be more than just the 13th team, what better stage for us to shine.

“We left Dubai (after the ICC World Cricket League Championship in December 2017) with an amazing belief among the group, individuals stepped up at different times when we needed it, some were veterans, some were young and didn’t quite know if they were good enough to succeed, all the doubt is gone now and all the energy is centering on how to get even better, this makes us very dangerous and very confident about our chances,” said the 34-year-old.

Right-arm medium bowler Vivian Kingma, whose 6/39 including a hat-trick in his last outing for the Netherlands in an ICC tournament in December, said: “It is a difficult one (to finish in the top two of the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier) against so many good teams, but the boys are ready. We have done a lot of hard work to ensure we have got even better and are confident.”

The team will depart for Pretoria, South Africa next week for a set of warm-up fixtures against, Scotland, Hong Kong and Ireland between February 16 and 23. Following that they will travel to Zimbabwe to face the West Indies, Ireland, Papua New Guinea and the ICC World Cricket League Division 2 winners in Group A.